Hunted man claims I'm no danger to anyone

The Northland Age has received a letter apparently written by Miles Ronald Walker, who hasn't been seen, by police at least, since he fled from a pursuing Highway Patrol car and disappeared into bush at Kaingaroa, east of Awanui, on September 26.

The incident sparked an Armed Offenders' Squad response, police claiming that Walker had armed himself with a rifle that had been in his vehicle before he was lost sight of.

The Northland Age has now received, by post, a letter signed by 'Milo,' or something similar, purportedly written by Walker and addressed to the people of Kaitaia. It reads:

'How my running into the bush makes me a dangerous man is beyond me. I've got no intention to harm anyone never have.

'I actually went to see my lawyer up the road. She wasn't home. As for going there to get ammo, what the hell? When did that take place?

'When I received txt saying I'd threatened police and 20-odd armed men were running around hoping to shoot me and that they had closed (the) local school that my own daughter attends, (that) shattered what little trust I had in people. My God, I'd die before harming a child. My kids are my life.

'How anything in my life leads people to believe I'm some twisted gun-toting mongrel I don't know.

'Last thing on my mind is shooting someone.

"The only people wanting to shoot anyone was the police. Apparently they spent hours hoping to get a shot. I don't know. I wasn't even in the valley.

'I can't go back in time and not run into the bush. If I could I would.

'Perhaps I've (been) chasing wild boars too long and the urge to hit the bush is always too strong to resist. But I have little trust as far as police are concerned, and after this outrageous scenario I can't blame myself. Hard to trust people when they want to shoot you.

'So it's my word against theirs, and since they think I'm a piece of ... that needs to be shot we all know how that's going to pan out.

'So have no fear, only kai I spear, and I'm not even up there.'